Aberdeen pupils could get extra days off school to help teachers mark assessments

Councillors could approve plans for pupils to get extra days off school to help teachers work on assessments.

Secondary pupils were recently told that Higher, Advanced Higher and National 5 exams for this year would be cancelled due to the pandemic.

Their final grades will be based on their teacher’s assessments of their work instead.

Aberdeen City Council’s education operational delivery committee will meet this week to discuss proposals to give teachers two ‘assessment support’ days to give them time to do the work.

The Scottish Government has already agreed that teachers could have two additional in-service days to prepare for the ‘alternative certification model’.

And it was also agreed that teachers involved in the assessment process would be given a one-off additional payment of £400.

Councillors on the committee are being asked to give the go-ahead to get the chief education officer to make a formal request to the Scottish Government for the two dates at city schools to be May 28 and June 4.

A report, which will be discussed by councillors on Wednesday next week, states: “On 16 February, the First Minister announced that an additional two days will be set aside for teachers to engage with the assessment, moderation and quality assurance process required for awarding National Qualifications.

“These two days are additional in-service days specifically for assessment, moderation and quality assurance purposes, and are therefore termed ‘assessment support days’.

“The two days can be deployed at the discretion of the local authority as they see best, depending on the requirements of the Alternative Certification Model (ACM) that is replacing National 5, Higher and Advanced Higher exams in session 2020-21.

“Education authorities are therefore requested to apply for an exemption in order that relevant schools can close for the two additional in-service days. Applications are invited by 19 March 2021.

“The assessment support days would most benefit the certification of young people if taken on 28 May and 4 June. Trade Union colleagues have been advised of provisional arrangements.”

The council has proposed that teachers will use May 28 for the marking and moderation of work.

And on June 4 faculty principal teachers will carry out final data checks for each individual pupil.

Education trade union EIS local secretary for Aberdeen Ron Constable said the in-service days were vital for helping teachers prepare for assessments.

He said: “The two extra days are going to be used for getting assessment models ready for National Qualifications, and are absolutely essential.

“They can’t do two things at once, they are involved in getting all the materials together and they can’t do that when kids are on the premises.

“I can understand that kids have been off a terrible amount of time, our teachers want to be back in classrooms safely, but it’s a huge amount of work. Our members are doing their level best, it’s very important to make sure they get the assessment materials in place.

“I think people will understand.”

The Scottish Government said in a statement last month: “National 5, Higher and Advanced Higher exams 2021 have been replaced by an alternative certification model based on teachers’ judgement of evidence of each individual pupil’s attainment.

“The National Qualifications Group 2021 has agreed to extend the deadline for submitting provisional grades from 18 June to 25 June.

“In recognition of the additional workload this will bring, teachers and lecturers involved in the delivery, assessment and moderation of National 5, Higher and Advanced Highers will receive an exceptional one-off payment of £400.

“There will also be two assessment support days available for all secondary teachers to give them extra time to engage with the alternative certification model.”